Santa Cruz's Luke Rockhold, sidelined a month ago with a reported wrist injury, will be back in the cage to defend his Strikeforce middleweight championship belt against Lorenz Larkin on Jan. 12, the promotion announced Thursday.

The upcoming event could also be the promotion's last.

Although not confirmed by Strikeforce, TMZ.com reported Thursday that the mixed martial arts promotion will dissolve following the January event, which is set to take place at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City.

What that means for Rockhold and other top-tier Strikeforce fighters remains to be seen. The Soquel High alum has been vocal in the past about wanting to fight UFC opponents. Without Strikeforce, Rockhold could get his wish to square off against UFC fighters with a move to the larger promotion.

If Strikeforce is to dissolve following January's event, the promotion will at least go out with a body slam.

Champion Gilbert Melendez and Pat Healy will square off for the lightweight title, while champ Nate Marquardt will fight Tarec Saffiedine in the welterweight division.

Daniel Cormier will also fight in the heavyweight division against Dion Staring.

The event will televised on Showtime.

Rockhold's title fight with Larkin at the middleweight division, meanwhile, is the same bout that was originally scheduled to take place on Nov. 3 in Oklahoma City.

But an injury to Rockhold in October, as well as other fighters on the card, led Strikeforce to cancel the event.

Rockhold could not be reached for comment at press time.

In September, when his fight with Larkin was originally announced for Nov. 3, Rockhold (10-1-0) said he would be looking to make a "statement" against 26-year-old former light heavyweight.

"Larkin is a dangerous opponent," Rockhold said. "He's got good striking and I'm taking it seriously."

Larkin, nicknamed "The Monsoon," is 13-0 in his three-year professional career. He is just 1-0, however, at the middleweight division.

Larkin defeated Robbie Lawler by unanimous decision in his middleweight debut on July 14.

This will be Rockhold's third title defense and first since he defeated Tim Kennedy by unanimous decision on July 14.

The January card will come exactly three months after Rockhold announced his injury on Twitter.